For many women and girls in Jamaica, the threat of violence extends beyond physical spaces into the digital world. Cyberharassment, grooming, and image-based abuse are increasing, prompting the Bureau of Gender Affairs to host an event for the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. UNFPA attended the event, emphasizing the urgent need to protect women and girls from technology-facilitated violence, which includes online harassment, cyberstalking, non-consensual image sharing, and digitally enabled coercion. These forms of abuse have profound psychological, social, and economic consequences for survivors.
The statistics in Jamaica are concerning. Approximately one in four women have experienced physical violence by a male partner, nearly a quarter of girls have faced sexual violence in childhood, and since 2023, more than 7,000 calls have been made to the national gender-based violence helpline. Digital abuse is also on the rise, with 22 percent of sexual-offense cases in 2025 beginning online. Perpetrators increasingly target young people through social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram, dating apps, and online games like Roblox. Authorities note that unsupervised children are particularly vulnerable, highlighting the importance of parental awareness and engagement in digital safety.
UNFPA underscored the value of building on past achievements from the Spotlight Initiative (2020–2023), which strengthened survivor-centered services, prevention programs in schools and communities, and gender-based violence data systems. These foundations now support efforts to combat digital violence through improved laws, education on digital safety, integration of GBV support services, and better tracking of online abuse incidents.
As the 16 Days of Activism concluded, UNFPA and the Bureau of Gender Affairs reaffirmed their commitment to creating a Jamaica where digital spaces are safe, respectful, and empowering for all women and girls. Technology should serve as a tool for opportunity rather than risk, and ongoing collective action is essential to ensure that women and girls can navigate the online world securely.
